How did you do on our quick animal athletes quiz? Check out the answers below for more fun animal facts.
1. Which of these animals is the fastest mammal?
Answer: Mexican-free tailed bat
Though cheetahs are often thought of as the fastest mammal at speeds reaching 75 mph, they’ve got nothing on the Mexican free-tailed bat. These bats can reach up to 99 mph in flight! Learn more about Mexican free-tailed bats in the Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild episode, “The Bats of Texas.”
2. Which animal swims the furthest?
Answer: humpback whale
Humpback whales migrate, seeking warm waters. On average, they travel 3,000 miles when seasons change.
3. Which animal jumps the highest?
Answer: dolphin
Wild dolphins can jump 15-20 feet in the air! The height allows them to get an overview of the water and look for predators.
4. Which animal dives the deepest?
Answer: Cuvier’s beaked whale
Cuvier’s beaked whales have been known to dive more than 9,000 feet below the ocean’s surface — pretty remarkable for an animal that needs to come to the surface to breathe oxygen! In comparison, sea turtles can dive almost 4,000 feet deep and whale sharks almost 6,000 feet.
5. Which animal has the best chicken dance?
Answer: Attwater’s prairie chicken
While we can’t scientifically say which is the best dancer, the Attwater’s prairie chicken dance is our favorite. Watch “Protecting the Prairie Chicken” on Protecting the Wild to see these cool birds in action.
